It is critical that you constantly evaluate your child’s school, to ensure that he or she is in an optimal educational setting. The good news for you (but not for us, Realtors!) is that since Colorado allows for open enrollment, you don’t necessarily have to move for your child to attend your school of choice.

Colorado schools are about to (or have already) open up their open enrollment window for the 2012-2013 school year. Here are the dates for each district. You will need to visit the districts’ website for more specific information. Good luck!

Open Enrollment Windows:

Douglas County: Douglas County School District’s open enrollment window opens a month early this year. It is available between November 1, 2011 and January 5, 2012

Jefferson County: Jeffco Public Schools offers Choice Enrollment—any student in the county can attend any Jeffco School that has space available. First round Choice enrollment for the 2012-2013 school year will be held from Wednesday, January 4, 2012 through, Tuesday, January 24, 2012.

Littleton: Littleton Public Schools offers many educational choices to resident and nonresident parents and students. State law allows nonresidents to enroll students in LPS or any other Colorado school without paying tuition when state and district guidelines are followed. The open enrollment window for the 2012-2013 school year begins on October 1, 2011, and closes on January 31, 2012.

Denver Public Schools: DPS offers DPS SchoolChoice. Any student planning to attend a new school in the 2012-13 school year, including those entering ECE, elementary, middle or high school for the first time, should complete a DPS SchoolChoice form. The SchoolChoice form is the one-and-only school application that needs to be completed for all DPS traditional boundary schools, magnet schools and programs, and charter schools. SchoolChoice forms will be available on or before December 1, 2011 at any DPS school or online at http://schoolchoice.dpsk12.org.

Cherry Creek School District: The Cherry Creek School District allows its resident students to apply for enrollment in the Cherry Creek schools/programs of their choice. In other words, you may request that your children attend a Cherry Creek school outside your assigned attendance area. School of Choice applications for the next school year are available from November 15th through February 1st at all schools and the District Admissions offices.

For more information on Denver-area schools, please contact TeamCox Realtors – Denver real estate specialists – at 303-400-6060.

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I have always been so impressed with Smoky Hill High School’s International Baccalaureate (IB) program.  It has been very rewarding to watch so many young people go through the program and move on to successful college programs and to amazing careers. As both a Realtor and a property owner in Piney Creek, I recognize that schools are the cornerstone to our community.

In the fall of 2010, Smoky Hill High School, in partnership with Laredo Middle School, became the first authorized IB Middle Years Program (MYP) in the Cherry Creek School District.

This young program seamlessly prepares middle school student to successfully transition into the demands of Smoky Hill’s rigorous IB training.

We are so fortunate to have Smoky Hill High School, Laredo Middle School and Indian Ridge Elementary School just blocks from our Piney Creek homes!  They are conveniently located within walking distance or a very short drive! Even during challenging times, these schools have never lost sight of what is truly  important in education – the students.

For information on Piney Creek real estate, or regarding life in Piney Creek, please contact TeamCox Realtors at 303-400-6060.

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The Colorado Department of Education recently released a report, revealing Colorado High Schools’ average 2011 ACT composite scores. Since this is a very important indicator of educational quality, TeamCox Realtors combed through the data to determine the top 25 highest scoring high schools.

Top 25 Denver Area High School Average ACT Composite Scores:

1. Vanguard Classical School (Denver): 27.3
2. ‘D’Evelyn Junior/Senior High School (Jefferson County) – 26.3
3. Fairview High School (Boulder) – 25.8
4. Peak to Peak Charter School (Lafayette): 25.0
5. Cherry Creek High School (Greenwood Village) – 24.9
6. Evergreen High School (Evergreen) – 23.8
7. Rock Canyon High School (Littleton/Douglas County) – 23.5
8. Monarch High School (Louisville) – 23.4
9. Denver School of Science and Technology (Denver) – 23.3
10. Boulder High School (Boulder)– 23.3
11. Ralston High School (Arvada/Jefferson County) – 23.2
12. Mountain Vista High School (Highlands Ranch/Douglas County) – 23.1
13. Lakewood High School (Lakewood) – 23.1
14. Jefferson Charter Academy Senior High School (Broomfield) – 23.0
15. Denver School of the Arts – 23.0
16. Arapahoe High School (Littleton) – 22.9
17. Heritage High School (Littleton) – 22.4
18. Highlands Ranch High School (Douglas County) – 22.3
19. Broomfield High School (Broomfield) – 22.2
20. Conifer Senior High (Jefferson County) – 22.2
21. ThunderRidge High School (Highlands Ranch/Douglas County) – 22.2
22. Chatfield High School (Littleton/Jefferson County) – 22.1
23. Grandview High School (Aurora/Cherry Creek Schools) – 22.1
24. Legacy High School (Broomfield) – 21.9
25. Ponderosa High School (Parker) – 21.9

For more information on Denver-area schools, please contact TeamCox Realtors – Denver real estate specialists – at 303-400-6060.

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The Douglas County School District Board of Education has unanimously passed a resolution supporting a comprehensive strategic plan that includes the Blueprint for Choice, which contains the controversial “Choice Scholarship Pilot Program.”

The new Blueprint program covers all neighborhood schools, charter schools, magnet schools, a new home education program, contract schools, and scholarships to Private School Partners. According to DCSD’s website, the plan “outlines several key elements that include improving information and communication, creating flexibility through policy and procedure change, creating a level playing field for all district schools, and providing multiple opportunities or pathways for student learning.”

Douglas County’s new “Choice Scholarship Pilot Program,” will provide up to 500 scholarships (75% of per pupil revenue, or $4,575 for the 2011-2012 school year) to students wishing to attend partner private schools. The new program has created quite a buzz throughout Douglas County. Parents hoping to take advantage of the new program are considering sending their children to local private schools like Parker’s Southeast Christian School, which may or may not be included in the program. Opponents to the program argue that public money should not  fund religious education.

The Douglas County School District is well known for providing a high-quality education, although like many other Colorado School Districts, it has struggled amid recent budget cuts. The new plan includes three distinct District priorities – Choice, World-Class Education and System Performance.

Looking for a home in the Douglas County School District? TeamCox Realtors  – Denver real estate specialists – has extensive experience with Parker real estate, Castle Rock real estate, Highlands Ranch real estate, Roxborough Park real estate, and Lone Tree real estate. Contact us at 303-400-6060 for more information.

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Littleton, Colorado, is having a great month! In November, Littleton was named among Cnnfn.com’s “Eight Cities That Want Your Business.” This past week, Littleton was named Bloomberg’s, “Best place to raise kids in Colorado.”

According to the report, Littleton was selected as a great place to raise kids because its residents have “access to public transportation to Denver, about 10 miles away, via light rail. Littleton has a historic district and museums and is home to South Platte Park, one of the largest suburban parks.”

In addition to offering a plethora of recreational opportunities to families, Littleton is also home to some of the best schools in Colorado. The Colorado Department of Education recently unveiled its new rating system and Littleton Public Schools was one of the few districts in Colorado to achieve the honor of “Accredited with Distinction.”

For information on living in Littleton, or regarding Littleton real estate, please contact TeamCox Realtors – Denver real estate specialists – at 303-400-6060.

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 It is critical that you constantly evaluate your child’s school, to ensure that he or she is in an optimal educational setting. The good news for you (but not for us, Realtors!) is that since Colorado allows for open enrollment, you don’t necessarily have to move for your child to attend your school of choice.

Colorado schools are about to open up their open enrollment window for the 2011-2012 school year. Here are the dates for each district. You will need to visit the districts’ website for more specific information. Good luck!

Open Enrollment Windows:

Douglas County School District: Open enrollment window is December 1- January 15.

Jefferson County: First Round Window: high school January 6-25; elementary and middle school January 6- March 1, Second Round Window: high school February 1-August 30; elementary and middle school March 16- August 30

Littleton: October 1- January 31. After January 31, applications are considered on first-come, first served basis.

Denver Public Schools: Different dates for magnet schools ending December 11, First Round Window January 4- 29, Second Round: March 1-August 31 (first come first served).

Cherry Creek School District: Apply by August 1st prior for enrollment in the following academic year.

For more information on Denver-area schools, please contact TeamCox Realtors – Denver real estate specialists – at 303-400-6060.

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The Colorado Department of Education recently released a report, revealing Colorado High Schools’ average 2010 ACT composite scores. Since this is a very important indicator of educational quality, TeamCox Realtors combed through the data to determine the top 25 highest scoring high schools. This year, there seems to be many Denver-area charter schools topping the list, which seems to be a trend that is here to stay as charter schools are growing in strength and popularity.

Top 25 Denver Area High School Average ACT Composite Scores:

1. Vanguard Classical School (Denver): 27.8
2. ‘D’Evelyn Junior/Senior High School (Jefferson County) – 26.1
3. Peak to Peak Charter School (Lafayette): 26.0
4. Cherry Creek High School (Greenwood Village) – 24.4
5. Fairview High School (Boulder) – 24.1
6. Denver School of Science and Technology (Denver) – 23.9
7. Boulder High School (Boulder)– 23.5
8. Monarch High School (Louisville) – 23.4
9. Rock Canyon High School (Littleton) – 23.3
10. Arapahoe High School (Littleton) – 23.3
11. Expeditionary Learning School (Denver) – 23.0
12. Mountain Vista High School (Highlands Ranch) – 23.0
13. Jefferson Charter Academy Senior High School (Broomfield) – 22.9
14. Evergreen High School (Evergreen) – 22.8
15. Denver School of the Arts (Denver) – 22.6
16. Broomfield High School (Broomfield) – 22.5
17. Ralston Valley Senior High School (Arvada) – 22.4
18. Niwot High School (Niwot) – 21.9
19. Dakota Ridge High School (Littleton) – 21.9
20. Chatfield High School (Littleton) – 21.9
21. Lakewood High School (Lakewood) – 21.8
22. New Vista High School (Boulder) – 21.8
23. Thunderidge High School (Highlands Ranch) – 21.7
24. Wheat Ridge Charter School (Wheat Ridge) – 21.6
25. Ponderosa High School (Parker) – 21.6

For information on Denver-area high schools, please contact TeamCox Realtors – Denver real estate specialists – at 303-400-6060.

CSAP Scores Released

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CSAP Scores Do Influence a Neighborhood School’s Reputation

We know that neighborhood schools play a large part in making real estate decisions, especially for those Denver homebuyers who have children. While test scores aren’t everything and can even be controversial, they are one of the few concrete ways to measure a school’s success.

The Colorado Department of Education released this year’s CSAP (Colorado Student Assessment Program) scores today. What is CSAP? CSAP scores measure the percentage of students at each school who have scored proficient or better in reading, writing, math and science.

To see how your neighborhood school stacks up, please visit The Denver Post’s website. It has compiled a valuable database to search for specific schools or districts.

Like the CSAP program or not, scores do impact a school’s reputation – for better or worse. For information on how a neighborhood’s school’s scores can impact your home’s value, please contact TeamCox Realtors – Denver real estate specialists – at 303-400-6060. You may search for a specific school or district by using our high-powered search tool.

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TeamCox Realtors – Treating our clients’ real estate transactions as if they were our own.

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Yes, one Douglas County school is growing right now!

Many Denver-area public school districts are financially-strapped and slashing their budgets – teachers are losing their jobs, school days are being shortened, and some programs are being eliminated altogether. How is it possible that Parker, Colorado’s Southeast Christian School has become the little school that could? Southeast Christian School grew 14 percent last year.  Most Denver-area schools – public, charter or private – can only dream of this growth in a booming economy.  It seems that family, a belief in Christian principles, and a respect for learning in a nurturing environment, has created student demand. No doubt, this kind of success can be directly attributed to the administrative leadership, as well as to the unsung heroes – teachers.

Southeast Christian School is prospering and growing under the leadership and direction of its capable headmaster, Dr. Vern Walters. Vern is a retired pediatrician and it gives parents peace of mind that a gentle man is on-site, who can diagnose and treat minor emergencies that occur at school – scraped knees, bumped heads, or even a panic attack.

I recently interviewed Vern, and asked what led him to take on the position of headmaster after a long career in medicine. He replied that it was about watching the educational growth of the students. “After being in the practice of Pediatrics for 40 years and seeing children’s physical growth and development, it is exciting now to watch the growth and development of the minds of these students”.

Dr. Walters modestly attributes his school’s success to its stable faculty, who all either has a Colorado teaching license or are eligible for one. One-third of its elementary teachers have master’s degrees in several areas, including reading and special education.  All middle school teachers have one or two master’s degrees.  This talent pool has resulted in SAT class-specific scores (beginning with kindergarten) of 1.5 to 2.0 years ahead of the national average and the middle school grades are 2.5 to 3 years ahead of the national average.  75 percent of Southeast Christian’s 7th and 8th grade students are ranked in the top 25th percentile, and the remainder score in the top 50th percentile of the Douglas County mandatory Explorer ACT College preparedness test.

The school’s growth has resulted capacity issues, and a need for expanding the existing facility for middle school and a possible future  high school. Southeast Christian is currently working with the Parker Building Division for the project with a projected target the fall of the 2011-12 school year.  The Town of Parker has been extremely cooperative in this endeavor.

Congratulations to Dr. Walters, the extraordinary faculty and the parents and students of Southeast Christian School.  Oh, and here’s to the power of prayer!

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It is critical that you constantly evaluate your child’s school, to ensure that he or she is in an optimal educational setting. The good news for you (but not for us, Realtors!) is that since Colorado allows for open enrollment, you don’t necessarily have to move for your child to attend your school of choice.

The Douglas County School District’s open enrollment period for the 2010-2011 school year is now open. Please click here for a list of schools that will be accepting open enrollment applications from December 1, 2009 through January 15, 2010. Click here to access the application, which has been moved online this year.

Click here for the Cherry Creek School District’s open enrollment process.

For more information on schools in the Denver metro area, please contact TeamCox Realtors – Denver real estate specialist – at 303-400-6060.

Top 25 ACT Scores in the Denver Metro Area

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